Puller



May 27,1941. F STAHL 2,243,361

FULLER original Filed may 26. 193s 2 sheets-sheer 1 Inu-hier THANK R51-A11 1 @My-@az May 27, 1941. YF E STAHL 2,243,361

FULLER Original Filed May 26, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lvenor TRANI( E. STAH L Patented May 27, 1941 PULLER Frank E. Stahl, Tonawanda, N. Y.: Lillie M. Stahl, adminiltratrix of said Frank E. Stahl, deceased, assignor to Columbus McKinnon Chain Corporation, Tonawanda, N. Y., a corporation oi New York Application May 26, 1936, Serial No. 81,893 j Renewed December 23, 1939 9 Claims.

My invention relates in general to hoisting devices and in particular to pullers operated by lever and ratchet means.

It is well known to those skilled in the art that in pullers of this type, the device is actuated in step-by-step manner by suitable ratchet means. When the tension placed upon such a puller is released or the load suspended thereby is lowered. the same step-by-step movement is used, and the tension being released and theV load being lowered must be taken by the actuating lever. Unless great care is exercised, the workman is likely to lose control of the lever, since the load is suddenly applied thereto, with the result that the tooth engaged by the lever may be broken or the workman or the load may be injured.

One of the principal objects of my invention has been to provide a lever puller which shall employ suitable brake means for not only sustaining the load as it is being elevated or the tension as it is being applied, but for holding the load and sustaining the tension as long as desired and during the time the device is being operated in step-by-step reverse manner.

Another object has been to provide such a brake mechanism for pullers which shall be of few parts and durable in construction.

Another object has been to provide a puller so designed that the hooks thereof shall be as close as mechanically possible when they assume their extreme inner positions.

Another object has been to design a puller of this nature which may be inexpensively manufactured.

Furthermore, my hoist is provided with a foldable handle so that the device may be made compact for storage purposes.

Moreover, my hoist is so designed that a loadlift wheel having a small number of chain link pockets may be employed, thus making it easy to ope'ate.

Another object has been to provide means for connecting the lower hook to the chain in such manner that a compact, inexpensive, swivel joint is possible.

The above objects andv advantages have been accomplished by the device shown in the accompanying drawings, of which:

Fig. l is a side elevation of my complete invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, plan, sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1 with the operating handle in horizontal position.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, face view of the operating handle with the cover plate removed, and a fragmentary, sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, sectional view taken on line #-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a transverse, sectional view of the loadlift wheel of my device.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken through the lower hook block, showing the hook in position.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary, sectional, plan view taken on line i-'i of Fig. 1.

My puller comprises a casing i provided with a casing hook Ii at one end thereof. The chain i2 which passes into the casing and over the load-lift wheel, to be hereinafter described, has its free end i3 attached to the casing by means of one of the casing bolts i4. The chain hook i is attached to the end i6 of the chain by means of a. swivel block i'i. A handle i8 is provided for operating the puller.

The casing hook ii of my device has an upper end of standard shape and is provided at its lower end with a substantially semi-spherical member i9 which is designed to be engaged by substantially semi-spherical recesses formed in the casing parts and 26 which, for convenience, will hereinafter be referred to as a ratchet casing and a wheel casing, respectively. The recesses 20 are formed in the adjacent faces of the casing parts near the top thereof and are therefore located on each side of the joint between these casing parts, whereby the hook may be readily assembled when the coacting casing parts are placed together. The hook is provided with a reduced or neck portion 2i immediately above the semi-spherical portion i9, and connects this portion with the upper part of the hook. The mouth 9 formed at the upper edges of the recesses 20 terminates at the upper edges of the casing parts and is so proportioned 'with respect to the neck 2i that the hook will have limited universal movement within the casing parts. A rai-sed portion 23 constituting a stop is formed on each of the casing parts 25 and 26 at each side of the joint therebetween. These portions extend across the mouth 9 at one side of the joint, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4 and the registering inner edge surfaces thereof are located at a distance from the axis of the mouth which is substantially equal to the radius of the neck 2l of the hook so that the stop will contact with the neck when the hook is in straight-line position. Thus the hook may have universal movement in all directions, but will be held against movement beyond the point at which it will be located in straight-line position when the load is being sustained by the hoist, thus serving to hold these parts in substantially rigid position whereby ratcheting of the operating handle is facilitated.

Referring now to Fig. 2, the housing i0 comprises the ratchet casing 25 and wheel casing 26, above referred to, and also a gear casing 21, which parts are held together by suitable bolts i4. Mounted in recesses formed within the ratchet casing 2l the wheel casing 2l is the load-lift wheel 2l carried IU a load-lift shaft 20. Inordertoprovideapullerwhichiscompactand powerful I make the load-lift part of the load-lift shaft, which provide a minimum number of link pockets 8l. As shown, only three of such pockets are prolvidedwhlchbringsthechainclosetotheaxis of the load-lift wheel. The load-lift shaft 2l is supported in bearings provided inthe .casing parts 2l and 29.

The operating shaft 32 of my device is also suitably supported in bearings formed in the casing parte 2l and 2i. Since my device is of the spur gear type the load-lift shaft 2l and the operating shaft 33 are connected together by means of gears 3i and I2. The gear 8| is mounted upon a projection of the load-lift shaft located outside the wheel casing 2l and the gear l2, which is preferably made integral withthe operating shaft, is also located outside the wheel casing part. The shafts 2l and 83 may be provided beyond the gears with reduced extensions Il and 92. respectively, which are engaged by bearings Il and Il. respectively, carried by the gear casing 21, which encloses and protects the gears as well as providing a grease retaining cover therefor.

'I'he brake means of my device is carried by' the operating shaft 33, and comprises a friction flange 2l carried thereby. A This iiange is provided with a hub 35 which is preferably journalled in the casing part 25. This flange is fastened to the shaft preferably by being keyed thereon so'that relative axial and longitudinal movement thereof with and upon the shaft is prevented. The outer end of the operating shaft is provided with screwthreads 38 upon which is mounted the brake nut 21 of my device which is formed on its outer vperiphery with a plurality of squareshaped ratchet teeth lli. This brake nut carries a brake nut washer Il near its inner face which fits into a bore 39 formed in the ratchet casing 25 and the flange extension thereof for clos- '.ing the casing at this point and forming a housing for enclosing part of the brake mechanism of my device. Arranged` adjacent the inside face of the nut 31 is a brake nut friction plate l! which may be made of bronze and which is rotatably mounted upon the shaft 33 and connected to the nut preferably by means of dowel pins 4I, which prevent relative rotation of the plate with .the nut,l thus providing a wearing surface for the nut. Adjacent to the friction plate is the ratchet wheel I2 of my device which isrotatably mounted upon the operating shaft. Also rotatably mounted upon the operating shaft and arranged between the ratchet wheel 42 Aand the friction flange 34 is a friction washer Il which ispreferably made of asbestos composition. A retaining nut Il is screwthreaded onto the extreme outer end of the operating shaft and is secured in place by any suitable means as, for instance, a cotter pin. This nut is mounted in a recess 48 formed in the brake nut 31- and serves to limit the outward movement of the brake nut upon Ithe operating shaft.

The operating handle4 Il of my. device is divided at a point substantially midway-its length, thus providing an upper part 52 and a lower part Il. The upper part of the handle is provided with a hub portion Il which nts over the outer notched periphery of the lbrake nut 31 and coacts with the ratchet casing 2l to substantially enclose the brake mechanism. The teeth il on thebrekenutareshorter-thsnthewidthofthe nut so that a reduced shmllder. is provided thereon with which an inwardly extending nsnge M of the hub portion Il engages. The brske nut is provided with two threaded apertures l1. and a cover plate Il is provided for enclosing the recess 4l in the nui/.21 and it is held in a recess Il formed in the hub portion I4 of the handle. by means of suitable screws 1I which engage with screwthreaded apertures I1 formed in the nut. This plate bears against the flange lo and thus prevents the upper part l2 of the handle from becoming disengaged from the brake nut. The upper part l2 and hub portion Il of the handle are provided with a reversible ratchet pawl Il. This pawl is carried by a stem Il which passes through asuitable aperture l2 formed in the handle and whichis smaller in diameter than l the handle are secured together by a hinge Joint' d1. This hinge joint is offset, as shown, and on the opposite side of each portion of the handle there is provided a lug lin each of which is formed a. bore. When the handle is extended a bolt l! may be passed through these registering bores and held in place by a nut 10. By means of this construction the handle may be folded up when the hoist is to be stored, as shown in the dotted-line position of Fig. 2, or securely held in extended position, as shown in the full-line position of this figure.

The casing part 2l is formed at one side with an outwardly extending boss 15 in which is formed a bore 16 so located as to be opposite the ratchet wheel l2. Mounted within thisvbore is a ratchet pawl 11 having a stem 1l of reduced diameter, about which is arranged a helical spring 19. A button Il is provided on the outer end of the stem 18 and -it is provided at one side with a notch Il for engagement with a pin 22 carried by the boss 1I. By withdrawing the button Il and rotating it slightly, the bottom surface thereof will engage with the top of the pin and thus keep the ratchet pawl 11 out of engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel I2.

The swivel block l1 is composed of two parts Il and II formed in their adjacent faces with recesses 21 for the reception of the link Il and with recesses il for the reception of the semispherical end 08 of the hook I6. A screw l passes through the-parts and through the link, thereby holding the parts together andthe link in place.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that my' device is of such nature that it may be used in a horizontal position, or in a vertical position, if desired, to perform the usual fimctions of a hom. When the device is to be put into use, the casing hook is suspended from a suitable support above the load or is attached to a fixed object, and the operating handle ratchet button M is pulled outwardly so as to cause the slot i5 to become -disengaged from the webs of the handle, whereupon it is given a rotationof substantially which will cause the bottom surfaces of the button to engage with the'webs and keep the ratchet pawl il out of engagement with the teeth of the brake slight rotation so as to bring the slot li out of registration with the button, whereupon the button will be held in its extended position and the ratchet pawl 11 held out oi' engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 42. In this position, the load-lift wheel is i'ree to rotate and the chain may thus be drawn through the puller in either direction so as to bring the' chain hook to such convenient position where it may be easily attached to the load or to the object to be pulled. Ihe button 80 is now moved so that the slot Il is in engagement with the pin l2, whereupon the ratchet pawl 11 will become engaged with the ratchet wheel and thus serve to hold the wheel against rotation in the lowering direction. The ratchet button 84 is then rotated so that the side marked "Up" will be toward the outside of the puller, which will cause the ratchet pawl 80 to be so positioned that manipulation of the lever i8 will cause the load-lift wheel to be operated in such a direction as to draw the chain hook toward the puller casing and thus raise the load or cause the object to which the chain hook is attached to be pulled toward the casing. It will be obvious that the lever may be operated in any convenient position and through as limited a movement as desired or found necessary, or through the entire circle if it is possible and so desired.

Due to the construction of the brake mechanisrn of my device,the ratchet wheel 42 will be maintained in the position to which it is operated by means of the ratchet pawl .11. Any tendency of the load to operate the hoist will cause the shaft 33 to be rotated, and the brake nut 31 will then be forced toward the friction flange 34, which will cause the washer 43 to be gripped between the ratchet Wheel and friction flange. Such movement will bring the hoist to a stop and thus maintain the load in suspended position. When it is now desired to release the tension upon the load chain, the ratchet button -`When the lever is now operated, the nut 31 will be rotated upon the shaft 33 and, therefore, moved axially thereon only enough to permit sumcient release of the frictional engagement between the ratchet wheel 42 and the flange 34 to allow the load to be lowered by movement of the lever, but not sufficiently to allow the load to fall or to be taken by the operator through the lever. Just as soon as the load is released, the rotation of the operating shaft causes the nut to be drawn toward the friction Washer and thus to again apply sufficient pressure on the brake parts to prevent further movement of the load. The load is thus lowered or tension released in the same step-by-step manner as it is elevated or produced.

It will be obvious from the foregoing that my puller, when compared to the pullers of the prior art, has greater load capacity, and at the same time is small and compact in size and light in Weight, due largely to the specific construction made possible by the casing parts and arrangement. While I have shown in the drawings the gear casing 21 as being formed with bearings engageable with proiections formed on the shafts 2l and ll, it is obvious that the bearing support given to these shafts by the wheel and ratchet casings 24 and 2l, respectively, is ample for all practical purposes and may be solely depended upon to provide ample bearing for my device.

Obviously, some modifications of the details herein shown and described may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope oi the appended claims, and I do not, therefore, ,wish to be limited to the exact embodiment herein shown and described, the form shown being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I claimis: V

1. The combination with a ratchet puller having a multiple part easing, ot a casing hook formed with a substantially semi-spherical member and a cylindrical neck connecting the hook member with the semi-spherical member, said casing parts being formed in the joint between them with substantiallyI semi-spherical recesses for receiving the semi-spherical member of the hook and also being formed with an aperture connected with the recesses, such aperture being larger in diameter than the neck of the hook for permitting universal movement of the hook, a stop formed on the casing and extending across said aperture at one side thereof and engaging said neck for maintaining said hook in straight-line position when the load is applied, and mea'ns for securing the casing parts together.

2. A puller, comprisng a housing, consisting of a ratchet casing, a wheel casing, and a gear casing, a one-piece, load-lift wheel and load shaft rotatably supported by all the`casing parts, a hoist hook universally mounted at the joint between the ratchet casing and the wheel casing and disposed in recesses formed in the adjacent faces of said last mentioned casing parts, an operating shaft rotatably supported by all of the casing parts, a gear carried by said load-lift shaft, and an intermeshing gear integral with said operating shaft, said gears being mounted within `said gear casing, and brake mechanism carried by the operating shaft and the ratchet casing and partly enclosed by said ratchet casing.

3. A puller, comprising a housing, consisting of a ratchet casing, a wheel casing, and a gear casing, a one-piece, load-lift wheel and load shaft rotatably supported by all the casing parts, a hoist hook universally mounted at the joint between the ratchet casing and the wheel casing and disposed yin recesses formed in the adjacent faces of said last mentioned casingparts, an operating shaft rotatably supported by all of the casing parts, a gear carried by said loadlift shaft, and `an intermeshing gear integral with said operating shaft, said gears being mounted Within said gear casing, brake mechanism carried by the operating shaft and the ratchet casing, suitable ratchet means carried by the brake mechanism, a' brake nut carried by said operating shaft, an operating lever rotatably mounted upon the brake nut, means carried by said lever and engageable with said brake nut for operating said nut in either direction, and a hub formed on said lever for cooperation with the ratchet casing and substantially enclosing the brake mechanism.

4. A puller, comprising a housing, consisting of a ratchet casing, a wheel casing, and a gear casing, a one-piece, load-lift wheel and load shaft rotatably supported by all the casing parta, a hoist hook universally mounted at the joint be tween the ratchet casing and the wheel casing and disposed in recesses formed in the adjacent faces of said last mentioned casing parts, an operating'shaft rotatably supported by all ci' the casing parts. a gear carried by said load-lift shaft, and an intermeshing gear integral with said operating shaft. said gears being mounted within said gear casing, brake mechanism carried by the operating shaft and the ratchet casing. suitable ratchet means carried by the brake mechanism, a brake nut carried by said operating shaft, an operating lever rotatably mounted upon the brake nut, and means carried by said lever and engageable with said brake nut for operating said nut in either direction.

5. A puller comprising a one-piece load-lift shaft and load wheel, said shaft having a projecting end and carrying a driven gear arranged in spaced relation with said wheel, an operating shaft, a driving gear fixed on said operating shaft and intermeshing with said driven gear, a casing part providing bearing support for said loadlift shaft between said load-lift wheel and said driven gear, said casinii part also providing bearing support for said operating shaft, a second casing part cooperating with said first casing part to house the load-lift wheel and itself formed with a bearing for receiving and giving support to the projecting end of said load-lift shaft, said second casing part also providing bearing support for said operating shaft, a third casing part seating against the nrst casing part on the opposite side of the second casing part for enclosing said gears, and a suspension member having an integral casing engaging portion of general semi-spherical formation, the first and second casing parts having opposing portions forming a socket for the reception of the casing engaging portion of said suspension member for limited u niversal movement therein, whereby the shafts are given direct suspension by each casing section.

6. A puller comprising a one-piece load-lift shaft and load wheel, said shaft having a protion of the casing engaging portion of said auspension member for limited universal movement therein, whereby the shafts are given direct auspension by each casing section.

. '1. A puller, comprising a housing, consisting of a ratchet casing, a wheel casing, and a gear casing. a one-piece load-lift wheel and load shaft, said shaft being rotatably supported -by the ratchet casing and the wheel casing, said load wheel being mounted within said last mentioned casing parts. a hoist hooi: universally mounted at the joint between the ratchet casing and the wheel ycasing and disposed in recesses formed in the adjacent faces of said last mentioned casing parts, an operating shaft rotatably supported by said ratchet casing and said wheel casing, a gear carried by said load-lift shaft, an intermeshing gear integral with said operating shaft, said gears being mounted within said gear casing, and brake mechanism carried by the operating shaft and the ratchet casing and partly enclosed by said ratchet casing.

8. A puller, comprising a housing, consisting of a ratchet casing, a wheel casing, and a gear casing, a one-piece load-lift wheel and load shaft, said shaft being rotatably supported by the ratchet casing and the wheel casing, said load wheel being mounted within said 1ast`mentioned casing parts, a hoist hook universally mounted at the joint between the ratchet casing and the wheel casing and disposed in recesses jecting end and carrying a driven gear arranged l in spaced relation with said wheel, an operating shaft, a driving gear iixed on said operating shaft and intermeshing with said driven gear, a casing part providing bearing support for said loadlift shaft between said load-lift wheel and said driven gear, said casing part also providing bearing support for said operating shaft, a second casing part cooperating with said first casing part to house the load-lift wheel and itself formed with a bearing for receiving and giving support to the projecting end of said load-lift shaft, said second casing part also providing bearing support for said operating shaft, 'brake mechanism carried by the operating shaft and the second casing part comprising suitable ratchet means and. a brake nut mounted upon said operating shaft, an operating lever carried by said nut and having a hub cooperating with said second casing part to enclose said brake mechanism, and a suspension member having-an integral casing engaging portion of general semispherical formation, said casing parts having opposing portions forming a socket for the recepformed lin the adjacent faces of said last mentioned casing parts, an operating shaft rotatably supported by said ratchet casing and said wheel casing, a gear carried by said load-lift shaft, an intermeshing gear integral with said operating shaft, said gears being mounted within said gear casing, brake mechanism carried by the operating shaft and the ratchet casing, suitable ratchet means carried by the brake mechanism, a brake nut carried by said operating shaft, an operating lever rotatably mounted upon said brake nut, and means carried by said lever and engageable with said brake nut for operating said nut in either direction.

9. A puller, comprising a housing, consisting of a ratchet casing, a wheel casing, and a gear casing, a one-pieceA load-lift wheel and load shaft, said shaft being rotatably supported by the ratchet casing and the wheel casing, said load wheel being. mounted within said last mentioned casing parts, a hoist hook universally mounted at the joint between the ratchet casing and -the wheel casing and disposed in recesses formed in the adjacent faces of said last mentioned casing parts, an operating shaft rotatablyv `nut in either direction, and a hub formed on said lever for cooperation with thev ratchet casing and substantially enclosing said brake mechanism.

FRANK E. STAHL. 

